Cookware generally includes a cooking container that is shaped to hold food over a heat source. The cooking container comes in a variety of shapes and sizes, which are often classified by their function. Focusing, for a moment, on pots and pans, pots generally refer to relatively high-walled cookware, with deep internal cavities, and pans generally refer to relatively low-walled, shallow cavity cookware. Pots and pans may be further classified by their use and include saucepans, frying pans, stockpots, broilers, double boilers, strainers, and woks.
Cookware generally comprises two parts--the cooking container and the handle. To efficiently transfer heat from the heat source to the food, the cooking container is normally constructed of a highly conductive material. As a consequence of its conductivity, this material is equally effective in conducting heat to the user's body if it is brought into contact therewith. To avoid burns and allow the user to manipulate the cookware while cooking, cookware generally uses handles made of less heat-conductive or insulating materials or of sufficient dimension to prevent excessive heat from reaching the user. At times, these handles may interfere with efficient storage of the cookware.
To that end, attempts have been made to address the problem of storage. Known pots that attempt to improve storability have employed handles that rotate horizontally or vertically to occupy less space. In some designs, the handle rotates to a position that places the handle over the mouth of the pot. Alternatively, known storable designs fold the handle against the pot's sidewall, or use a handle configured to wrap around the sidewall and base of the pot, hereinafter referred to as a fold-under design. In general, all of the above designs improve storability by moving the handle in close relationship with the container, such that, the container and handle occupy less space.
While improving the storability of the cookware, the folding handle feature of these designs may provide cookware which is at least somewhat impractical when cooking. In the fold-under designs, the handle may prevent the pot from sitting flat on the cooking surface and therefore may prevent even heat distribution to the cooking surface. The fold-over handle interferes with the manipulation of food within the pot, e.g., stirring, and obstructs the user's view ofthe cookware's contents. If an attempt were made to manipulate the handle during cooking, the folded or storable position of the previously mentioned designs places the handle in contact or in close proximity to the cooking surface. As a consequence, manipulating the handle to and from the folded configuration, while cooking with these prior art devices, increases the risk of burns. By placing the handle close to the cooking surface, and thus the heat source, the user could easily burn himself or herself while attempting to manipulate the handle.
Although not recognized by these patents, it is desirable to change the handle's position while cooking. When cookware is placed on burners or counter tops, the handle often extends into the pathway of passersby. So situated, the handle may be bumped or snagged on clothing; interfering with the movement of the passerby or causing the cookware to overturn. In the most serious of circumstances, the handle's interference may result in the pot toppling from the stove top, causing its heated contents to be deposited on the passerby. Another concern arises from small children being attracted to the exposed handle that extends beyond the counter or cook top. As a result, children may attempt to grasp the handle bringing the cookware and its contents down upon them. Less seriously, when more than one pot is present on the stove, their handles may interfere with each other. Further, when washing cookware, a conventional projecting handle may prevent the cookware from lying flat against the bottom or otherwise fitting within the sink so that it is immersed in the wash water.
Therefore, a need exists for a handle that can rotate out of the way during cooking and washing. Since it is to be used while cooking, the handle should place the user's hand away from the cooking surface, even when in the folded position. In this way, the user may actuate the handle without burning himself or herself. A further need exists for a handle that folds out ofthe reach of children or into a position where the handle will not overhang the cook top or counter top. A further need exists for a handle that locks into a plurality of positions, placing the handle out of the way or out of reach while providing for manipulation of the cookware.